AUSTIN, TX – What can Austinites do to reduce plastic waste on Earth Day and every day? Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) suggests refusing single-use plastics that aren’t needed, reusing plastic items when possible, and recycling single-use plastic products when done with them.

Think about going straw-less when dining out or passing on to-go plasticware and single-use condiment packets for options likely stocked at home. A 2021 report found that annually, Americans use nearly one trillion disposable food service items and nearly half a billion drinking straws every day. A reusable water bottle can provide the recommended daily hydration and could save an average of 156 plastic bottles annually. ARR also reminds Austinites not to bag recycling when placing items in the recycling cart – leave recyclables loose and dry.

ARR urges Austinites to download the Austin Recycles App or use the What Do I Do With... tool to make sure only accepted plastics are put in the blue curbside cart. Replace single-use plastic, get tips on how to refuse, reuse and recycle at austintexas.gov/plastic.

Earth Month Challenge

Austin Resource Recovery is celebrating Earth Day all month long! Teaming up with selected Austin Public Library branches and Earth Day events and asking Austinites to drop off single-use plastic bags and bottles. These items will help with some wonderful projects planned for Earth Day weekend.  Austinites can bring single-use plastic bags and bottles to one of these events:

• April 11, 2023, 3-5 p.m. | Austin Public Library: Menchaca Branch
• April 15, 2023, 1-3 p.m. | Care Creation Fair at Triumphant Love Lutheran Church
• April 18, 2023, 3-5 p.m. | Austin Public Library: University Hills Branch
• April 21, 2023, 3-5 p.m. | Austin Public Library: North Village Branch

Celebrate Earth Day weekend with ARR at these events, where we’ll be repurposing plastic bags and bottles into some fun, reusable items. Get recycling tips and some reusable items to help replace single-use plastics!

• April 22, 2023, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Earth Day Jubilee at International Shores
• April 23, 2023, 12-4 p.m. | Green Fest at Waterloo Greenway

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About Earth Day

Earth Day is widely recognized as the largest secular observance in the world, marked by more than a billion people every year as a day of action to change human behavior and create global, national and local policy changes.

About Austin Resource Recovery

Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) is a department of the City of Austin. We provide essential services that protect people and our planet. We collect recycling, composting, trash, large brush, bulk items and dead animals. We also sweep the streets, recycle and safely dispose of household hazardous waste, and provide community outreach and education. ARR is driving the global transformation of traditional waste management to sustainable resource recovery. Learn more at austinrecycles.com